She scowls and narrows her eyes further at my swearing.

“Lady, I’m in a really bad f**king mood. I got a lot of shit going on, so if you have a reason for being here, start talking. Otherwise, get the f**k out of the shop.”

She straightens her dress a little and softens her expression, allowing for a small fake smile. “Have I offended you?”

I sigh, because it’s the only way I can suppress the eye roll. “Ford told us all about you, so cut the shit. He said you tried to take his kid away and I’m—”

“That child is not his, Mr. Shrike. Surely you can string a few simple facts together. That child is not his.”

“So you’re the one f**king up his life? Trying to contest the adoption?”

She smirks at me now. “That would not be me. Ashleigh already called me. She was quite unreasonable.”

“Mmm-hmm.” I nod at her. “So you live in town now? Or you just happened to be in the neighborhood? Or maybe you’re psychic and you knew the adoption would be contested? Which of these is true?”

She throws me another knowing smirk and now my paranoia is kicking into high gear. “It doesn’t take a psychic to see this coming, Mr. Shrike. It only takes intimate knowledge of the man Ashleigh thought she was in love with since she was a little girl.”

“The dead guy.”

“Well, some think he’s dead. But dead men do not file legal actions to prevent their infant daughters from being adopted.”

“Right. So who filed the papers? You? Your father? Tony’s parents? Because if this f**king guy is alive, he won’t be for long.”

“Why’s that, Mr. Shrike?” And then she leans in and whispers. “Killing is the way you handle all your problems now? The first one’s the hardest, but it gets easier, doesn’t it?”

I recoil back from her words. “Honey,” I say in my normal voice. “You have no idea who I am or what I do. And this conversation is over.”

“Wait, Mr. Shrike.” She grabs my upper arm as I turn and this makes me stop and look her in the face.

“Do not f**king touch me,” I growl, shaking her hand off my arm.

“I don’t know if he’s alive,” she continues, like I never even spoke. “But I do know something isn’t right. And life isn’t as perfect as it looks from the outside with you and your… Team.”

“Yeah, well, that’s life, eh? You always gotta fight for it.” I walk over to the front door, unlock it, and push it open. “Thanks for stopping by. I’ll let Ford know you’re in town in case he wants to get together.”

She walks through the door like she owns the place and makes her way to the car. The driver’s side door opens and a guy gets out and walks around to let her in the car.

Not the back, curiously. The guy settles her in the front seat.

“Her husband,” I say out loud.

“I feel sorry for him,” Ryan says behind me.

I turn around and let out a long breath. “This shit just gets better by the day.”

“Yeah? Well, I got some more bad news. The Feds came by earlier looking for Rook. Apparently there’s a new witness for the defense. A cop buddy of Jon’s from Chicago.”

My stomach flips.

“He says he tried to help Rook years ago. Found her at the house all black and blue. His name was not on the list of people tied up in that trafficking shit, so I guess he’s clean.”

I wait for it.

“He’s gonna testify that he offered Rook a way out, money, a shelter for battered women. A job.”

I turn away, shaking my head.

“She turned him down. And by this time, she was already well aware that they were selling girls in their barn.”

I’ve never talked to Ryan about what happened to Rook. I’ve never talked about it to any of them. And they never asked. We’re a business. They work for me. I do not share personal details about my life with the mechanics. But everything he just said, except for the new stuff about the witness, is public knowledge. And if the Feds came in and talked freely to a guy who looks more like a criminal than the man on trial, well… then this shit is all over the news by now.

“Camera crew was here too,” Ryan adds to deepen the blow. “Scott is useful as a townie cop, he ran them off. But they’re not far. He called me a little while ago and said they regrouped at the courthouse.”

I put up my hand and walk away. The place is deathly silent, the only sound the echo of my boots across the polished concrete floors. Everyone is staring at me as I pass. Fletch and Griff. Larry. Two camera crews. I swallow hard and walk into my office, closing the door and flipping the blinds on the window so no one can see me.

I sit in my chair. This executive f**king leather chair that screams success.

And I swear to God, the only thing I want right now is one more carefree summer day with Ronnie.

Two years ago

Her tan is almost as golden as her hair as she lies face down on the beach, the midday sun blazing down on her perfect body. She’s topless, but that’s OK. This beach is private. The look on her face… I chuckle to myself as I walk towards her with a couple of ice-cold beers in my hands.

“How can you afford this?” she asks, looking around with wide eyes.

“I got a deal,” I say back.

And I guess I did. This island was reserved last year before my team and I were busted for murder. We were spending some of the money we stole. Not a lot. But enough to reserve this island for Ronin and I to celebrate our graduation.